§ 55. Major ROSSasked the First Lord of the Admiratlay the total tonnage of flotilla leaders and destroyers laid down subsequent to 1918 by the British Empire and France, respectively?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. A. V. Alexander)The total tonnage of flotilla leaders and destroyers laid down subsequent to 1918 by the British Commonwealth of Nations is approximately 29,300. The comparable figure for France is approximately 91,770 tons.
§ Major ROSSAbout three times the amount.
§ 56. Major ROSSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total tonnage of submarines laid down subsequent to 1918 by the British Empire and France, respectively.
§ Mr. ALEXANDERThe approximate figures are:
Tons. British Commonwealth of Nations 30,000 France 61,000.
§ Major ROSSAbout double the amount.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYArising out of the supplementary question, is it not a fact that France concentrated on her Army during the War, while we extended our Navy? Is not that the reason?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe do not have supplementaries on supplementaries.
§ 57. Major ROSSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the estimated total tonnage of warships at present actually under construction by the British Empire and France, respectively.
§ Mr. ALEXANDERThe total tonnage of warships at present under construction, or ordered, for the British Corn-wealth of Nations and France is approximately 69,000 and 153,000 tons respectively.
§ Major ROSSWill the right hon. Gentleman include these three answers in his next communication with the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy)?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill my right hon. Friend also include the tonnage that France was entitled to lay down under the Washington Conference, and did not lay down?